Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych speaks with opposition leaders

KIEV, January 27. /ITAR-TASS/. The opposition leaders' delay in responding to the proposal made by Ukraine's President Viktor Yanukovich will lead to an escalation of the conflict in the country, warned Dmitry Svyatash, member of the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) from the ruling Party of Regions.

"The opposition's procrastination with a reply to the Ukrainian president's proposal on ways to settle the crisis in the country may result in new casualties on both sides," the MP's statement, placed on the website of the Party of Regions on Sunday, said.

"The leaders of the opposition did not give an unambiguous reply whether they are ready to assume responsibility for a settlement of the political crisis and the future of the country," Svyatash pointed out. "Their pronouncements can be interpreted in different ways. On the one hand, such a readiness has been already put on record. On the other hand, there appear new and new demands that hamper further talks".

The MP's opinion is that an evasive stand of the oppositionists only heats up the most radically-minded participants in street actions of protest in downtown Kiev, who make increasingly audacious attacks on law enforcement personnel.

"As of January 26, as many as 311 law enforcers, injured during mass unrest, applied for medical aid and 118 of them have been hospitalized," the MP pointed out.